Digital Asset Monitoring System and Method

1. A method for monitoring a digital asset communicated over a network in an encoded format, comprising: capturing at least a portion of data associated with a digital asset; decoding the portion of data associated with the digital asset; and comparing the portion of data associated with the digital asset with a library of digital assets; wherein the portion of data associated with the digital asset is compared with a subset of the library of digital assets to reduce the amount of processing involved with the comparing.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the decoded portion of data associated with the digital asset is compared with the library of digital assets utilizing a phase to facilitate the comparing.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least one of a resolution, a frequency, and a frame rate of the decoded portion of data associated with the digital asset is synchronized with that of the library of digital assets to facilitate the comparing.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein an amplitude of the decoded portion of data associated with the digital asset is normalized.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the normalization involves a multiplication operation.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the normalized decoded portion of data associated with the digital asset and the library of digital assets are subtracted to generate a difference during the comparing.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the difference is subjected to a root mean square (RMS) operation.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the difference is compared to a number that is substantially zero.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein it is determined that the portion of data associated with the digital asset matches at least one of the digital assets of the library based on the comparison with zero.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein where the digital asset originates in a digital form, a one-to-one comparison is employed between the portion of data associated with the digital asset and the library of digital assets, and where the digital asset originates in analog form, a phase of the portion of data associated with the digital asset is aligned with that of the library digital assets when the portion of data associated with the digital asset is compared with each of the digital assets of the library.

11. A computer program product for monitoring a digital asset communicated over a network, comprising: computer code for capturing at least a portion of data associated with a digital asset; computer code for decoding the portion of data associated with the digital asset; and computer code for comparing the portion of data associated with the digital asset with a library of digital assets; wherein the computer program product is operable such that the portion of data associated with the digital asset is compared with a subset of the library of digital assets to reduce the amount of processing involved with the comparing.

12. A system for monitoring a digital asset communicated over a network, comprising: a module for: capturing at least a portion of data associated with a digital asset, decoding the portion of data associated with the digital asset, and comparing the portion of data associated with the digital asset with a library of digital assets; wherein the computer program product is operable such that the portion of data associated with the digital asset is compared with a subset of the library of digital assets to reduce the amount of processing involved with the comparing.